Mainstreaming the environment into Humanitarian Action

17/12/2009

A failure to address environmental risks and insufficient inclusion of environmental considerations in relief operations can undermine the relief process, causing additional loss of life, displacement, aid dependency and increased vulnerability. Although this relationship has been documented in case-studies, and is commonly acknowledged by humanitarian practitioners in the field, there remain many opportunities lost and risks ignored in the environmental sector throughout the humanitarian phase. This article focuses on the opportunities to respond to this gap and on the activities UNEP wants to undertake with partners in the humanitarian community.